Blackfeet Nation in Banff National Park, 1913.

Photographer: Rolanda W. Reed The Blackfeet, also known as the Blackfoot Confederation, are an Indian people or a group of linguistically related peoples living in the northwest of Montana in the USA and in the south of the province of Alberta in Canada. The name of the people — Siksikaitsitapi — comes from the color of moccasins, siksikanam "black" and okkati "foot". According to legend, the Blackfeet led the migration of Western Algonquins from the Red River Valley to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Up until 1730, the Blackfeet traveled on foot and used dogs to transport their utensils. The Shoshones acquired horses much earlier than the Blackfeet and soon occupied most of modern-day Alberta and Montana, as well as part of Wyoming, raiding their enemies. When the Blackfeet saw their horses for the first time and realized all the advantages of these animals, they wanted to take possession of them. They named the ponokamite horses "moose dogs." Horses could carry a much larger load than dogs, and moved at a higher speed. They could be used for hunting and movement. The Blackfeet began a long-term struggle between neighboring tribes for the fur trade in 1800, which often escalated and ended in armed skirmishes. The theft of horses from Europeans and other tribes was not only proof of the courage of warriors, but often also a contribution to the survival of the people, as many Native American tribes began to depend on hunting bison on the Great Plains. In 1806, several Piegans visited the camp of the Lewis and Clark expedition; during the visit, one of the warriors tried to steal horses and was killed by white men. After that, the Blackfeet declared a merciless war on the Americans. In 1806-1831, there were many skirmishes between the Blackfeet Confederacy and Mountainmen and fur traders. In 1862, gold was discovered in western Montana and thousands of prospectors flooded the lands of the Blackfeet. There were frequent armed skirmishes between them and the Indians. By 1866, the conflict between white people and the tribes of the confederacy in Montana had escalated so much that it was referred to as the Blackfoot War. In 1872 and 1873, the United States Blackfeet lost most of their territory, and the size of their reservation was greatly reduced. Later, in 1898, the U.S. government abolished tribal governments and banned the practice of traditional Native American religions. In blackfoot mythology, the supernatural world is dominated by the Sun. A cult of personal patron spirits was developed. Personal guardian spirits most often appeared in the form of animals; they guarded people, helped them, giving their instructions in dreams. The main ritual is the annual Sun Dance, which ended the summer bison hunting season. The sacred food during the festival consisted of buffalo tongues. Modern Blackfeet live both on reservations and throughout the United States and Canada.